This year's APEC Summit had held great significance for me, as Singapore was the host nation, and I had the pleasant opportunity to attend the Leaders' Week under the APEC Voices of the Future Programme.
Unlike many of the international youth programmes, the APEC Voices of the Future programme was a highly special one. It offered 115 other youth delegates and me unrestricted access to the proceedings, and enabled us to get up close and personal with prominent global leaders in government and industry, like Japanese Prime Minister H.E. Yukio Hatoyama and ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Surin Pitsuwan. Meeting these global movers and shakers all under one roof at Suntec International Convention Centre was truly a once in a lifetime experience for me.
After witnessing the APEC economic and business leaders in action, my conviction was reaffirmed that APEC was not merely a talk shop, but a powerful platform for change and progress. At the APEC CEO Summit, Heads of States from APEC economies delivered keynote addresses and participated in dialogue sessions, helping to set the tone for business leaders to follow. The APEC CEO Summit not only allowed the top honchos to network with each other, but also served as an avenue for the key global issues to be addressed and strategies for policy coordination to be discussed.
As I look back on the 2008 sub-prime mortgage crisis which is still fresh in our memories, I realised that in our increasingly globalised world, any single event in a geographically distant nation can have global repercussions. The collapse of the housing bubble in the US led to a worldwide recession. Singapore was not spared in the global contagion – companies folded, jobs were lost. Thus for a small and open economy like Singapore, which is highly dependent on global trade, it is extremely vital for us to play an active role in regional and multilateral forums like APEC, which aim facilitate economic growth and technical cooperation to create greater prosperity for people of the region.
Despite suggestions that the US was adopting protectionist measures, my interaction and discussions with American leaders on the sidelines of the Summit, such as with Mr Steve Okun, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, suggested otherwise. In addition, the US's announcement that it would engage with the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) partners further signaled deeper economic integration within the region and us moving one step closer towards realising the dream of a Trans-Pacific Free Trade Area.
Apart from networking with the world government and industry leaders of today, I also had the opportunity to play host to the leaders of tomorrow from the other APEC economies and showcase Singapore. Together with the foreign youth delegates, we visited the Night Safari, the Youth Olympic Games Learning Centre, OnePeople.sg, the Marina Barrage, and the Tiong Bahru heartlands. We also had a memorable audience with President S.R. Nathan and an exciting dialogue session with movie star Jet Li!
Despite coming from different backgrounds and cultures, we found it easy to exchange views and engage each other as we found common ground in our sense of idealism and desire for societal progress. The friendship, trust and mutual understanding we fostered during this momentous week will certainly go a long way, and form the basis for continued cooperation and engagement in the future.
Perhaps apart from the once in a lifetime experience of meeting top honchos under one roof and forging many memorable friendships with overseas youths, my greatest takeaway from this APEC Leaders' Week is the art of effective networking. At every level of the Convention Centre, delegates could be seen engaging in light banter and exchanging business cards with each other along the corridors.
I have come to realise that to really establish and maintain effective networks and relationships, one must be truly sincere in their interpersonal engagement. Apart from leaving a lasting first impression, it is also about going the extra mile and putting in the effort to keep in touch with your contacts periodically. That is why I now make it a point to actively follow up with my newfound friends and contacts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter within 24 hours of meeting them, and sending them emails & messages occasionally to stay in contact. This is my own practice and advice for effective and meaningful networking.
Looking forward into the next 20 years, I have three grand wishes for the APEC community.
First, I am optimistic that the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) would someday evolve into a truly Pan-Pacific Free Trade Area, where goods and services can flow across borders with no barriers.
Second, I hope that APEC economies will pursue sustainable and inclusive growth instead of purely economic growth at the expense of the poor or future generations. Governments could invest and place an emphasis on growing the green economy and knowledge productivity. By investing in people and education, governments would ensure their people are well-poised to ride the wave of opportunities that globalisation brings.
Third and lastly, I would yearn for young people to play a more significant and active role in APEC. Hopefully in future APEC Summits, the potential of youths could be unleashed. Young social entrepreneurs, heads of civil society organisations, aspiring diplomats and politicians could all be part of the APEC experience and help to shape a more progressive and dynamic Asia-Pacific region.